System of equalization for car-trucks.



J. A, PILCHER. l SYSTEM OF EQUALIZANN EUR CAR HUCKSe Armenien HLEB'AGJ. 19'16. A 1 ,265,374. Patented May 7,1918.

Ew @JWM JOHN A. rincon-1i., or

RONOKE. VIRGINIA.

SYSTEM 0F EQUALIZosTlON FOR CR-TRUCKS Application flied August 2, 1916.

To all whom. z't may concern:

' Be it known that. l, JOHN A. liLcHEn, n citiz'en of the United States, residing at Roanoke. in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systemsi': E' uelization for Car-Trucks. of which the fo lowing is a specification.

This invention pertains to means for equalizin'gss the loads applied to car trucks among the wheels thereof and is particularly applicable to trucks used for railway ears or the like.

The invention consists in. the novel features of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts as will be herein described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken plan #view of a car truck of the four-wheelty pe and Fig. i: a side elevational view of the same. this truck being constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views res ectively of a truck of the six-wheel type an Figs. 5 and 6 similar views respectively of a truck of the eight-wheel type, each embodying the feature of'this invention. Figs. 7 and. 8 are diagrammatic views of six and four wheel trucks respectively, showing the action of the equalizer .ystem when one of the truck axles is lowered below the normal plane o the axles.

It is to he understood at the outset that my invention is applicable to any type of car truck employing a multiplicity of wheels and axles.

Referring to these drawings. l have indicated a ortion if n ear lood) 1 as supported by each of these trucks and the body is in each instance supported thereon at a plurality of points spaced one from the other longitudinally of the car. The four-wheel type of truck being the simplest const ruction shoivn, it will be described first and the modifications necessary for additional wheels will then bc described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, this truck cousists of two axles Q-2 with wheels; 3--`r3 mounted thereon in the customary manner. These axles are spaced one from the, other longitudinally of the truck and the ends of the axles are journaled in the customary oil boxes 4 and 5. The oil boxes at nach side ol" the truck are rigidly secured to a longitudinally extending bar i) which ties these boxes together and holds them in spaced relationship one with the other. The boxes Speclflcaton of Letters. latcnt.

Patented May '7, 19,18.

Serial No. 132,763.

and o being rigidly secured to these bars 6 ha no vertical movement` .with respect to the same. but the oil boxes 4 or 5 may move vertically with respect to each other as when a low joint is encountered in the rail, by the harmonious movement of the attached end of the side bar 6, a slight pivotal movement occurring around thop osite axle as a center. This action is clear y shown in Fig. 8.

The equalizers used in ,connection with this rigid oil box truck consist of a longitudinally disposed lever for each oil box and a similarly7 disposed intermediate lever between the two. Thus there` are provided oil box levers 7 and 8 for the oil boxes4 and 5 respectively and supported by any approved means upon the inner ends of these levers is the intermediate lover 9. The load from the car bod)v may be applied direct-ly to these levers shown, but in any event load is applied at the outer ends of the levers for the end oil boxes as at 10 and 11 and at the center of each intermediate lever as at 1Q. ln -the present embodiment Suitable swiveling load seats are provided on the car body to eo crate with those on the truckat 10` 11 an 12 and the levers and seats are shown with proper bearings of pivotal construction. This form has been depicted as a practical one but many methods of applying the load to the equalizer system might be employed. The trucle; may also be properly retained beneath the car by any suitable means, a depending trunnion 1.3 being` shown from the car body with a plate i4 extending from one side bar G of the truck to the other, this plate serving to hold the side bars in position and alinement and to center the truck through coperntion with the trunnion 13. While the truck shown for swivelin under the car body. the system of equalization may be employed with non-swiveling trucks.

The oil box levers may be made of halfvllipic springs so as to utilize these members for vieldably supportin the car upon the trucks and should be ma e with the cus'- lomary rounded bearings over the oil boxes so that. the said levers may readily respond to track irregularities. Thus the lever system includes a lover disposed over each oil box :ind supported, thereb i between the extremities of the said oil ox lever, and an Simoni-inflict. 'lr-wr ldisposed between each two mljacon. oil box levers` the ends of the imei-rhodium levers being supported upor other the adjacent ends of the oil box levers. And each intermediate lever receives load between its extremities4 and delivers it to the oil box levers and the outer ends of the two end oil box levers` also receive loads and deliver the same to the oil boxes. 'l`lius this svstcm of equalization may be extended to accommodate trucks with any number ot' pairs of wheels. il beingh portion olr the present invention to provide :i jointed side bar construction for trucks having more than two pairs ot' wheels so that this equalizer s vstein may be used therewith. For in Yall instances 1 make the oil boxes rigid with The oil boxes 16 and 17 being secured to the to the boxes 16 and 17.

portion 6, this part actsl the same as the four Wheel truck just. described in so far as the drop of one pair of wheels is concerned. The box 18 oula,7 being securedl to the portion 6a of this bar it will be. secn'that the box 18 may move freelv vertically willi respect Fig. shows the position of the equalizers` side bar. oil boxes,

etc., when au end pair of wheels drops below the normal plane.

And for the eight wheel type of truck shown in Figs. 5 and (i, which is supplied with axles 2l and wheels 3", the side bar is jointed at 19 and at 20 so that it is divided into 3 portions, 6, 6 and 6e. The oil box 21 is secured to the portion 6, the oil boxes 22 and 23 to the portion 6d, and the oil box 2l to the portion 6". Thus any pair of wheels may drop relative to any other pair but in all instances the corresponding oil boxes must move harmoniously with the attached end of the side bar. In the drawings but one side of a truck is shown. but it' will be understood that in each instance a similar series of wheels, oil boxes and side bars are provided for the opposite side of the truck. `Similar load transferringr seats, 32, 33, 34, 235, 3G, 37, 38, 39 and 40 and similar centering means are shown for the six and eight wheel type of trucks as already described for the four wheel type.- This form of construction is not imperative, however, as any suitablemeans may be employed for apply ingr the load to the equalizers and for retain- `the adjacent ends of the latter.

ing the trucks beneath the car.

It will now be seen that in all instances an intermediate lever 9, 9*, 9*', 9, 9d, 9@ is supplied between each pair of oil box levers, the ends of the former being supported by And each intermediate lever receives load between its extremities and delivers it to the oil box levers. And the outer ends of the oil box levers for the end axles, where there are no intermwliate levers, receive loads independently ot the intermediate lever. The oil box levers t?. S. 25, 2G. 2, 28, 29, 30am] 31) are plai'ed preferably on top of the side bars :indou line. with the oil box centers so as to deliver their loads directly thereto without indurinpT bending:r in the side bars, the bars acting:r meri-lv as meansy `lor spacing thc oil boxes and holding them in alinement. Any irregularity in wheel loadings will be transferred throughout the system of longitudinail)v disposed equalizers and will be corrected so that each wheel will carry its correct load. And the .spaced load seats will each be called upon to deliver a predeter mined load because of the hack-cqualizing etiects. For example,` if by error one seat should be made out of its correct relationship with the others it would have no notice able effect upon thc equalization, for the levers would all assume angular positions at which all the seats would react. The advantages ot' this construction will be evident.

1 am aware that similar results have been obtained`in connection with trucks of the pedestal type, that is, Where the oil boxes have. vertical movement relative to the .side bars, but in my invention l secure these. results in trucks of the rigid box type.

W'hat I claim is:

l. ln a system of equalization for car trucks. a plurality of wheels and axles, spaced longitudinally of the truck with respect to each other and with oil boxes mounted on the said axles. a bar extending lonffitudinally of the truck and connecting tie oil boxes one with the other and spacing the same. the said boxes being rigidh7 secured to the said bar and not being capable of relative vertical movement. with respect thereto. the said oil boxes beingr capable of vertical movement with respect to each other onl v through the harmonious movement of the attached port ions of the said bar, and in combination therewith a system of equalizin; r members'separate from the said bar and, extending longitudinallyr of the truck and above the same and adapted to receive loads from the car bod)1 and distribute and equalizc them directly among the oil boxes, the said levcr' \'stcm including a lever mounted adjacent each axle and having pivotal In'ovement with respect. to thel said bar, the said levers being fulcrumed at their centers immediatclv in line. with the oil boxes and supported thereby, and there being means in connection with said equalizer s vstem for receiving car body loads and imparting the same to the said. levers and equalizing them thereamong. Y

1. ln a s vstein of equalization` tor car mg members separate from 2g cludlnglr a lever trucks. a pluralitv tions of the l rate from the said bar and arranged longione from box levers,

to thc .said bar and not being capable of relaoil boxes being capable of vertical movement with respect to each other onl)y through the harmonious movement ot' the attached portions oi' the bar, and in combination therewith` a system of equalizthe said liar and extending longitudinally adapted to receive loads from the car bod)y and distribute and equalize them directly among the oil boxes. the said lever system ini each axle and having pivotal movement with respect to the said bar, the said levers being fulcrumcd at their center upon the seid bar and immediately over the oil boxes, and there besaid equalizer.'

s vsteni for receiving car body loads and imparting the same to the said levers and -mializing them thereamong.

3. ln a system of equalization for of Wheels and axles spaced longitudinally oil each other and with oil boxes mounted on the said axles, a har extendinfr longitudinallv of the truck and 35 one with another, the boxes being rigidly se cured to the sai capable of relative pendently harmonious said ar,

tudinallv of the oil boxes and arranged to receive load from the car bod);Y at a plurality of points spaced the other longitudinally of the truck, said system of levers embodying levers supported at their centers by each oil box and an intermediate lever supported at its ends upon the adjacent ends 'of the oil there being one of the said load receiving points near the center of each intermediate lever and one al; the outer extremity of each end oil box lever.

4. In a car truck equalizing system, a plules spaced longiturespect to each other and With oil boxes mounted on the 'd axles, side bars to which are rigidly attached the said oil boxes, thc said oil boxes being ca able of relative vertical movement ndepen ently of each other but depenocnt rmom'ous movement of the attached a car body supat a ,plurality of from each other, a system of levers separate rom the said bars along each side of the truck having seats thereon formed to receive the load extremities and being supported bcheir extremities bv the end oil boxes respectively, the inner extremities of the oil ox l receiving seats on the inl'erinediate levers car truck equalizing system, a pluspaced longiturespect to each said axles, side are rigidly attached the said oil boxes, the said oil boxes being capable of relative vertical movement inllependently of dependent upon harmonious movement of the attached portions of the side a car body supported by the said plurality of points removed lont e f the said intermediate lever 1 supporting means arranged to transfer its load to anequalizing system, a plucar truck les spaced longitu- Wheels and ax Ina lever system including d an intermediate lever, th oil box an lever having one of the said load receiving Beata-5t its outer ty and mg supported between its extremities by an end oil box, the said intermediate lever having a second of the said load receiving seats between its extremities, the one end 0 the said intermediate lever being supported upon the inner extremity of the said oil box lever and the other end thereof being provided with supvortng means arranged to transfer its loa to another oil box.

Y I. In a car truck, a plurality of wheels and axms spaced longitudinally of the truck with respect to each other and with oil boxes mounted on the said axles, side bars to which are rigidly attached' the said oil boxes, the said oil boxes being capable of relative verticul movement independently of each other but dependent upon harmonious movement of the attached portions of the side bars, a car body supported by the seid truck at a plurality of points removed longitudinally of the car from each other, a system of levers separate from the side bers along each over en oil box, the end oil box levers having 3 load receiving seats at their outer extremlties and the inner extremities of the same being provided with means for transferrin loads thereto .from the outer extremities o the intermediate levers and there being load ,3

receiving seats on the intermediate levers between the extremities thereof.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of a witness.

JOHN A. PILCHER.

Witness:

A. K. SIMMoN s.

distribute it among the 25 

